49 Days is a heartfelt graphic novel loosely based on the Buddhist belief that after death, a person must travel for 49 days in a limbo-like place before they can move on.

This is a book that relies heavily on imagery to get across ideas and feelings, and does so very powerfully. There is some dialogue, mainly to give flavor to the multiple flashbacks of Kit's life and what's currently happening in the lives of her loved ones. This way you can compare both Kit's journey to acceptance and peace, and her family and friends dealing with grief and reminiscing about the good moments.

Don't expect heavy references to Buddhism or specific religions - while the concept of the 49 days is based in it, and there are some practices the Korean-American family go through to ease their pain and remember their lost one, this book makes space for people to relate to death according to their own beliefs and traditions.

It's a short but impactul read, and the art is outstanding. A great debut graphic novel from Agnes Lee!

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of the book.
This graphic novel takes you through the afterlife of someone who died before their time. It was a lovely but breathtaking story that showed acceptance from the deceased and the living.

As of now, the artwork was black and white. I feel once the color is added, it will completely change the feeling of the book for the better, raising my rating a star potentially

A beautiful YA graphic novel about grief and death following Buddhist tradition. After dying, Kit must journey for 49 days before her soul can rest. The story switches off between her journey and that of her loved ones left behind.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this book. all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.

this was beautiful. the story is sometimes extremely vague. but that is beautiful in itself because it leaves a lot of doors open for the reader to enter and interpret. the art was very soothing. this was a quick, short, easy and will absolutely pull on your heartstrings. in Buddhist tradition, there are 49 days between death and re-birth. this book follows kit's journey in those 49 days while also giving glimpses of how her family and her friends are coping with the grief. this really hit me in the feels since i am freshly grieving over the loss of my grandad recently. i think this will speak to a lot of people who are struggling with some kind of loss rn as well. is a very subtle, warm story that just flowed and leaves you with some warm feelings at the end.

This graphic novel was so beautifully devastating. The nature of brushing life and death, and the toll it carries on both those who continue living and those who have gone to the next plane, was entertained in the most harmonious way in this chronicle of restlessness and peace. It follows the 49 Days of travel between death and rest for those who have passed as well as 49 days of coming to peace for those who lost someone dear. The art was such a wonderful companion to such a compelling storyline! I adored it, even through the tears! I am so thankful to NetGalley and Agnes Lee for allowing me the opportunity to read such a beautiful piece of work!

This graphics novel was absolutely beautiful!
And the fact that this is Agnes’ debut just as me speechless.

As someone who isnt a buddhist I found this very compelling. I have a huge interest in different religious practices, but this was really my first time learning about Buddhism.

This story follows Kit on her 49 days of travel after her death before being able to crossing over. As we read we get to experience all the emotions that come with dying and crossing over. And on the other side we have to watch her family navigate through a life that is so very different then what it used to be.

I know I’ll be think about this beautiful story for the next few days, because sometimes moving forward is the hardest challenge of all.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful graphic novel.

So grief is HARD and is such a process for everyone. In 49 days, we have Kit, who has recently died, going through the 49 days per Buddhism before she can move on. At the same time, the book follows those she left behind. Anyone who has lost someone will be able to relate to this, how hard it is to lose someone and how difficult it is to get through actions and feelings and everything that goes along with missing someone. I highly recommend this for anyone dealing with a loss.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This is a beautifully illustrated book about a Korean American family dealing with loss. Kat, a college student and the oldest of three, has died and is now experiencing the Buddhist tradition of traveling for 49 days in afterlife before fully crossing to death. Meanwhile, her family is dealing with their own grief at her loss and trying to move on as a family. The story is told from three perspectives: Kat, her family, and their memories. Each view is shown by simple color changes in the otherwise black and white illustrations. The story is somber and touching, yet also full of love and humor. Agnes Lee's debut graphic novel is a beautiful piece of art and emotion. I look forward to ordering it for my library collection when it's published.

Thank you to Levine Querido, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for the egalley copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC and I think I will be looking into the works of Agnes more. This graphic novel is the story about Kit who's in bardo (a place between life and death) waiting for 49 days and it's her journey of accepting what happened to her and concurrently following the lives of the people who was left to moron her loss as well.

Broke my heart but the simple art style made the whole story better.

I am new to this type of book. I'm enjoying learning different ways to enjoy stories.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

There were a few times during this graphic novel that I teared up but the last few pages had me bawling.

This story follows Kit who is in her 49 day period after death. She’s waiting to move on. We follow along as she goes through denial, anger, fear, and finally acceptance. It was so visceral at times it took my breath away.

On the other side we’re following the people Kit left behind. We see them grieve and try to find happiness and comfort in the fond memories as they keep her spirit alive.

The artwork for this book was stunning and has me completely immersed from the very first page. I absolutely loved this.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time. A really touching and beautiful story about loss and what might happen to us after we die. The art style of the comic took a little bit for me to get used to but I did get used to it quite quickly and appreciated it too. It adds to the intimate character of the book.

All in all it was a very pleasant read that left me touched by its pages. I would love to see more of the author’s work!

An honest exploration of grief and the arduous process of letting go. In the first few pages, Lee captures all of your attention as she invites you on a journey of loss. Her storytelling and imagery fly by as you race to see how each carefully crafted character interacts with the themes of this story. Despite the title implying you only spend 49 Days with Kit and her story, Lee packs more than a lifetime of bickering, laughs, tears, and human connection. An instant classic for all ages.

This graphic novel was gorgeous. I didn’t know about 49 days or that tradition, and I loved seeing how this artist interpreted it.

Kit has passed away and is in her 49 day period before she can move on. Her family and friends are doing their best to move forward while missing her and remembering her.

The art in this book is beautiful. It’s so meaningful and well thought out. I loved the different colors between Kit’s world and the family/friend world. The grief comes through on the page. I read the author’s note/blurb that this is based on her experiences with loss. My heart broke for her, but I also loved how hopeful the ending was. “I think I’ll rest here.”

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.